Gallforce: The Shoot Down Queen
by Makuhari-Fan01
Summary: Solonoid Pilot Lufy's life before 'Gallforce: The Eternal Story.'
1. Chapter 1: The Shunning Begins

"The Shoot Down Queen."

A Gallforce Prqeuel Story

By Makuhari-Fan01

"GALLFORCE" and all related characters are owned by Kenichi Sonoda, MOVIC, Sony VCIC, and in the US, Central Park Media, NOT me.

Based on characters and situations created by Kenichi Sonoda, especially his manga; "Kenichi Sonoda: Privates Live."

(-)

In a far corner of the galaxy, there exists a humanoid society of females called the Solenoids. Highly advanced scientifically, the Solenoids possess the ability to use many forms of biological and mechanical engineering. Several of the most important are the ability to travel faster than the speed of light, being able to Terraform uninhabitable planets into useful, productive worlds, and the ability to reproduce themselves through the use of bio-engineered clones.

In an area of space not far from the Solenoids there exists another advanced race called the Paranoids. Possessing much the same level of technology as the Solenoids, the Paranoids are instead a patriarchal society of formless, shape-changing beings.

When the two races first met, they established peaceful contact; both hoping to benefit in many ways from contact with another advanced civilization. Soon however, the differences in physiology and the mental makeup of the two races led to misunderstandings, accidents, and eventually to war.

Many, many years pass. Millions die on both sides of the battle line. Cultural advancement stagnates in the relentless quest for ultimate military superiority. Both races are physically and materially exhausted, yet they still fight on.

(-)

Its arrow-like prow bristling with rapid firing guns and lasers, its long, reverse tapering wing-boosters home for a score of homing missiles, a Solenoid fighter flashes through the void of space near a dead star. The faint glimmer of distant starlight flashes off the fighter's bulbous nose, highlighting the unit insignia of the fighter's squadron, a yellow circle with a black skull and crossbones labeled "ATTACKERS." Stenciled nearby is the pilot's rank and name;

"COMBAT LEADER LUFY."

With the appearance of four Paranoid drones, Lufy springs into action. Throwing her fighter Into an evasive maneuver using all three axis, Lufy evades the Paranoids' fire. Coming out of the maneuver traveling in the same direction, but facing the now receding Paranoid drones, Lufy opens fire. A quartet of missiles drops from her fighter and streaks off after the Paranoids. Despite wild evasive maneuvers by their targets, the four missiles achieve lock-on. They close on target, M.I.R.V. into a half-dozen sub-munitions each and obliterate the Paranoid drones. With more pressing matters on her mind, Lufy returns her fighter to normal flight and continues her mission.

Eventually Lufy pulls up next to a heavily damaged fighter similar to her own. Lufy quickly seals her pilot's suit and decompresses her fighter's cockpit. After raising the canopy, Lufy kicks off and floats over to the other fighter.

Arriving next to the damaged fighter's canopy, Lufy checks a status panel then activates the fighter's external pilot rescue system. What Lufy saw after the canopy raised confirmed the status panel. Explosive decompression and enemy fire had done their job, and the Solenoid pilot was quite dead. Choking back her bile, Lufy retrieves the fighter's data recorder and sets the self-destruct. Returning to her own fighter, Lufy climbs in, seals up, and takes off without looking back.

Behind the receding Solenoid fighter, a short lived star marks the final resting place of one more casualty in the seemingly endless war between Solenoid and Paranoid.

Low on fuel and ammunition, Lufy directs her fighter towards its base ship, the Solenoid battle carrier Artemia. Recognition codes are exchanged, and she is quickly directed into the port landing bay. After parking the fighter, Lufy removes her flight helmet, revealing a tangled mess of matted, sweaty blond hair. A green forelock and a cherry-red star tattoo on her right cheek accents Lufy's beautiful, if un-smiling face. Leaning back in her acceleration couch, Lufy closes her eyes and contemplates the loss of yet another wing-pilot.

Lufy's crew chief signals that the shut down procedures are complete. Lufy removes her fighter's data recorder, opens the canopy and climbs down. Turning towards the sound of running feet, Lufy has no time to react as another Solenoid pilot with long, flaming red hair runs up and pins her against the side of the fighter.

"Hey, Shoot Down Queen! What happened to Pamela? Did you run off glory hounding and let her die just like all the others?"

Recognizing the tear streaked pilot as a friend of her dead wing, Lufy takes hold of the woman's wrist, and slowly forces her back.

"First of all, Tenisha, my name isn't 'Shoot Down Queen,' it's Lufy. Second, I have NEVER deliberately left one of my wings just to run up kills, despite what you think. Pamela and I were jumped by twenty Paranoids and forced to split up. I managed to fight my way clear, but before I could go help her, she was killed."

Tenisha jerks her arm free from Lufy's grip, then slaps Lufy hard across the face.

"I hate you! You always come back, but your partners never do! Now Pamela's dead..." Tenisha sniffles and rubs at her tears with a sleeve cuff.

Lufy reaches out to try to comfort the grieving Tenisha.

"Tenisha, I..."

Tenisha slaps away Lufy's hand.

"Get away from me, Shoot Down Queen! The next time you go out, I HOPE YOU DIE!"

Lufy watches as Tenisha runs away across the hangar, then turns and walks away toward the debriefing-mission assessment room.

Upon entering the debriefing-mission assessment room, Lufy reports to the squadron commanding officer, Combat Commander Riana Scott. Riana has a round face topped by short auburn hair. Her lean, full figure, toughened by years of fighting, still possesses a hint of softness untainted by war. At twenty-seven, Riana is the oldest living fighter pilot Lufy knows.

"Commander Riana, Combat Leader Lufy reporting."

"Anything significant to report?"

"Pamela was killed in area eighty-five by Paranoid drones. I managed to recover the data recorder, then I set her fighter's self-destruct and destroyed what was left of It."

"Was there anything you could have done Lufy?"

Lufy looked away, shaking her head.

"No, I was too heavily engaged by Paranoids... She called me, begging for help at first, cursing me for abandoning her later, but by the time I reached her, it was too late."

Riana put a hand on Lufy's shoulder.

"I believe you, but you know none of the other pilots will want to fly as your wing-pilot now don't you?"

Lufy nodded her head.

"Well, that's for later. Go get cleaned up and try to relax. It'll be a while before the squadron has another mission anyway."

Lufy and Riana exchange salutes, then Lufy turns and leaves the room.

After returning to her billet, Lufy showered, changed into her off-duty casual uniform, then left to get something to eat. When Lufy entered Artemia's galley, all conversation suddenly dropped to a whisper. No one tried to be obvious, but Lufy could feel people staring at her back as she went through the serving line. When Lufy finally sat down, several pilots from her own squadron and a few of the ship's crew got up and moved away from her. Ignoring the rudeness of everyone around her, Lufy ate in silence, then got up and left without a word.

Just as Lufy left, a pilot no one recognized came in and pointed out the door. "Hey, wasn't that Combat Leader Lufy?"

A red haired pilot answered her.

"Yea, that's the 'Shoot Down Queen'. You had better stay away from her though."

The last went unheard as the new pilot turned and ran out of the room after Lufy.

Lufy stormed down to Artemia's pistol range. "Hateful jerks, they may despise me, but the least they could do is not treat me like a total pariah!" Desperate to vent a little of her anger, even if only against inanimate objects, Lufy checked out a pair of Semmerling-Vincent 10mm automatic pistols and walked out to the firing lanes. Unnoticed by Lufy, another pilot picked up a set of ear protectors and followed her out to the range.

After running a silhouette target out on the target chain to the twenty-five meter mark, Lufy got down to the serious job of preparing to shoot. First she pulled the slides back on both pistols, locking them open. Next she loaded two pairs of extended clips and locked them together with a special bracket in an "L" shape. Finally Lufy loaded each pistol with one set of clips, with the extra clip extending underneath the barrel. Lufy paused for a moment to adjust her hearing protection.

Picking the two pistols up, Lufy pointed them down range and, using her thumbs, released the slide locks. The slides closed into firing position with a loud snap and Lufy Immediately opened up with a rapid fire. Within seconds the head of the silhouette was cut out of the target. After firing their last rounds, both pistol slides locked open on empty clips. Spinning the pistols on her trigger fingers, Lufy caught the pistols under her arms and removed the empty clips in a single smooth motion. Rotating the clips ninety degrees in her hands, Lufy loaded the full clips into the pistols and spun them back out Into the firing position. Lufy released the slides and immediately opened another rapid fire. Starting in the center of the silhouette and moving out, Lufy quickly cut the target in half. For a second time the pistol slides locked open on empty clips.

Lufy took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she set the pistols down. Feeling much more relaxed, Lufy turned at the sound of polite applause behind her. Standing there was a slim young woman in a trim, class "A" uniform. Long, straight, jet black hair framed a plain face made more attractive by its owner's enthusiastic smile. Lufy pulled off her ear protectors and slid them down around her neck. " Can I help you?"

The pilot held out her hand in greeting and Lufy shook it.

"Hi! my name is Mari, and I was just assigned to the Attackers today! Are you really Combat Leader Lufy?"

"That's right. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing really, I'm just so excited to meet you. All the pilots in my old squadron have heard of you, and how you've shot down over a hundred enemy fighters. We called you "the Shoot Down Queen."

Lufy's relaxed mood suddenly turned foul again. "What squadron did you say you were from?"

"The Forty-First, Seventh Fleet, the Heartbreakers.

"Humph, provincials."

"Well, yeah, but my unit still saw plenty of action. We weren't that far out In the boonies."

"Listen, I'm real busy right now, maybe we can talk later, okay?"

Lufy turned and went back to her shooting.

Mari just stood there dumfounded; wondering what she had said to make her idol so mad. Mari had been really excited to finally meet the pilot she aspired to emulate. Now, her excitement crushed by Lufy's sudden coolness, Mari dejectedly left the shooting range.

tsuzuku...

(-)

**Author's Notes:**

**Written WAY back in the mid-nineties in response to the the challenging statement that; "There can be no more Gallforce stories because everyone's dead."**


	2. Chapter 2: A New Friend

"The Shoot Down Queen." A Gallforce Prqeuel Story

By Makuhari-Fan01

"GALLFORCE" and all related characters are owned by Kenichi Sonoda, MOVIC, Sony VCIC, and in the US, Central Park Media, NOT me.

Based on characters and situations created by Kenichi Sonoda, especially his manga; "Kenichi Sonoda: Privates Live."

(-)

Just as a pleasant dream involving a certain blond squadron mate reached the most interesting part, Mari's alarm clock went off. Throwing herself from her bunk, Mari quickly pulled on a pilot's basic combat suit. When she finished, Mari left her billet and went to the ship's galley, and from there, made her way to the Attackers' briefing room.

Entering the briefing room, Mari saw Lufy sitting alone on one side of the room. Without wondering why Lufy was alone, Mari sat down next to her. Several pilots across the aisle gave Mari cool looks, but she failed to notice. All the Attackers jumped to attention as Combat Commander Riana Scott entered the room and stepped up to the podium.

"At ease!"

After all the pilots returned to their seats, Riana began the briefing.

"Today this squadron will participate in an attack on a Paranoid supply base in the Cassini System. This base is known to be supporting the Paranoid drive against our home world, and high command expects its destruction to slow down, or completely stop the enemy advance. While we will not be directly involved in the destruction of the base, the Attackers have been given an important mission."

Riana turned to indicate a star system map on the wall behind her.

"The Attackers and the 143rd fighter squadron will blockade a Paranoid fighter base on the seventh planet, preventing it from reinforcing the supply base. Until the main attack is complete, our Job is to destroy anything coming from that base."

Riana paused momentarily and turned to face Mari.

"Now, for those of you who haven't met her already, I would like to introduce Sub-leader Mari. Pilot Class 1A. Mari was a veteran of the Seventh Fleet's Forty-First Fighter Squadron until it disbanded, and today will be her first mission as an Attacker."

Mari stood. "Good morning everyone! My name is Mari, and I hope to get to know all of you better real soon!"

The other pilots quickly returned Mari's greeting with various levels of enthusiasm.

Commander Riana spoke. "Mari, did you decide who you wanted to fly with as wing?"

"Yes Ma'am, Combat Commander Lufy."

The gasp of disbelief from across the aisle was nearly as loud as Tenisha's shout, "What?"

Mari had a bewildered look on her face as Tenisha stood up in the aisle and pointed at Lufy.

"Are you crazy? Lufy is the same as a black widow! Every wing-pilot she's ever flown with has wound up dead! Killed on their first mission as Lufy's wing because their so-called lead-wing was off glory hounding instead of supporting them. She'll just get you killed like all the rest!"

Mari balled up her fists and shouted back.

"Shut up! Lufy is the greatest Solenoid pilot ever! You're just jealous because she's shot down five times as many planes as you!"

Riana gave Lufy an amused, "Oh you are, are you?" look.

Lufy rolled back her eyes and shrugged "She said it!" to Riana.

Tenisha shook a fist at Mari.

"Yea? At what cost? Nine good pilots paid the ultimate price so Lufy could be the 'Shoot Down Queen' of the Attackers! Do you want to be number ten?"

Mari stepped into the aisle in front of Tenisha.

"That's my decision to make, don't you think?"

"AT EASE PEOPLE!"

At Riana's shout, Mari and Tenisha stepped away from each other. Riana looked over at Lufy.

"This is up to you, Lufy, do you want Mari to fly as your wing?"

Lufy shook her head.

Mari suddenly shrank as if crushed. Without a word she sat back down. Tenisha did likewise.

"Sub Leader Mari..."

Mari looked up as Commander Riana spoke to her.

"It seems the best way to settle this problem is to assign you as a third wing."

Riana looked over at another pair of Attacker pilots.

"Sandy, Queen Anne, is that okay with you?"

The two pilots nodded their agreement.

"Well then, now that that's been taken care of... Launch will be in thirty minutes. Section area assignments have been programmed into your flight computers. Are there any questions? No? Then DIS-MISSED!"

As one, the pilots jumped to attention and saluted Riana. Mari introduced herself to Sandy and Queen Anne, then followed them as they filed out of the room with the rest of the pilots.

(-)

Down in Artemia's flight hangar, Lufy's flight crew finished fitting her out In a combat vac-suit. Taking her flight helmet from the fighter's crew chief, Lufy climbed into the cockpit. Once there, the crew chief helped Lufy plug the combat suit into the cockpit systems. When she finished, the crew chief gave Lufy a thumbs up. "Tear'em up Lufy!"

"Every time! Bonnie Lass, every time!"

Lufy's crew chief stepped back down from the fighter's cockpit and removed the access ladder. Lufy finished pre-flighting the fighter, then sat back to wait for the launch order. Glancing over at the fighter on her right, Lufy saw Mari finish fitting out in her combat suit.

((Oh well, I guess it isn't that bad having someone who wants to be like me.))

As soon as Mari was strapped in, Lufy called over to her.

"Hey Mari, watch yourself out there, okay?"

Mari looked over and gave Lufy a smile, waved, then went back to pre-flighting her fighter.

One by one the Attackers called in to report their readiness to launch. Commander Riana confirmed her squadron's launch status with Artemia's flight control center. Clearance to launch was quickly given, and the Attackers took-off, immediately disappearing into the void as they moved out to their mission destination.

(-)

The entire Attackers squadron stayed together until they reached the mission area, then dispersed and proceeded to each section's individual patrol area.

Lufy was on station for twenty minutes, when her fighter's I.F.F. computer picked up the signal of an approaching Solenoid fighter. Closing in from below and to the right, the Solenoid fighter soon pulled up next to Lufy. A broken heart with a black "41" inside identified the fighter's pilot.

"Mari! What are you doing here?"

"You need a wing pilot, and I'm available."

"What about Sandy and Queen Anne?"

"I told them what I was going to do, and they didn't try to stop me."

"Mari, don't you understand why everyone hates me?"

"No."

"It's because..."

Lufy stopped talking as her fighter's scanners came to life, indicating multiple unidentified targets entering her area of responsibility. Suddenly all business, Lufy announced to Mari.

"Multiple targets. Approaching at fifty kay, 283 relative, down 50."

"Confirmed Combat Leader. Twelve targets, war book identifies as Paranoid drones. Contact report going out. Suggest pre-emptive missile strike."

"Affirmative, then blitz their right flank with a laser attack."

"Affirmative."

"Mari, you stick to me like a leach, understand?"

"Yes Ma'am! I'm in position Combat Leader, Tally-Ho!"

Like two birds of prey, the Solenoid fighters wheel to the left and dive towards their enemies. The Paranoids spread out into a half-moon formation and closed rapidly with the two Solenoids. Lufy and Mari both launch a quartet of homing missiles. Paranoid counter-fire destroys three; the remaining five lock on, M.I.R.V., and blot out their targets. Before the remaining Paranoids can recover, Lufy and Mari blitz through the right side of the Paranoid formation. Two more Paranoids become expanding balls of incandescent gas.

Turning back to engage the remaining Paranoids, Lufy and Mari are suddenly confronted by twenty-four more Paranoids.

"Attacker Command! Area Eighty-Eight is starting to crawl with Paranoids! We need some help over here!"

"Affirmative Combat Leader Lufy, help on the way."

"Mari, break the enemy formation apart with a missile attack, CHARGE!"

The two Solenoids reverse their turn and move to engage the new formation of Paranoids. Eight missiles blaze from the Solenoid fighters and off towards the Paranoid formation. Ignoring their half dozen casualties, the Paranoids swarm around the two Solenoids. Put on the defensive by the aggressiveness of the Paranoids, Lufy and Mari are soon forced to separate.

With so much practice flying alone, Lufy is in her element. Mari unfortunately draws the majority of the Paranoid drones, and it is all she can do to stay alive.

Grinning like a madwoman, Lufy quickly turns the tables on her opponents and takes the offensive. Using her close-in weapons exclusively, Lufy forces a swirling, close in dog-fight that results in the destruction of three Paranoids. Lufy's remaining opponents disengage, leaving her alone for the moment.

"Mari! where are you?"

"Lufy! Help!"

Locking on to Mari's signal, Lufy quickly locates her companion. Heavily engaged by the Paranoids, Mari's life is potentially measured in seconds. Activating full afterburner, Lufy races to save her wing. Locking the I.F.F. system into her fighter's targeting computer, Lufy shouts; "Mari! Salvo missile barrage! Watch out!"

"Hurry Lufy!"

Her missiles achieve lock-on, and Lufy snarls, "Not this time you bastards! FIRE!"

Twelve missiles salvo in quartets from Lufy's fighter. Mari throws her fighter into a wild evasive maneuver just as the missiles arrive and M.I.R.V.. Cyan fire and explosions blanket the area occupied by the Paranoids. Lufy's heart races until Mari's fighter emerges from the flames and smoke.

"Lufy! Look out!"

Lufy whips her head around and sees several Paranoids on her tall. Before she can begin evading, her fighter rocks from the impact of enemy fire. As smoke from damaged systems begins filling her cockpit, Lufy realizes her fighter is doomed. Before she can reach for the ejection handle, a white hot, searing pain shoots through her and Lufy passes out.

(-)

When she wakes, Lufy finds herself flat on her back in a dimly lit room in Artemia's medical bay. Taking stock, Lufy finds her right arm and ribs bandaged, her left thigh bandaged, and several cuts on her face covered with Band-Aids. Lying back down on her pillow, Lufy closed her eyes, wondering if Marl was still alive. The door to her room opened, the lights came up, and Riana Scott walked in.

"Well! Back among the living eh, Lufy?"

Lufy, still groggy from her wounds and surgery, managed a pain tinged smile and a nod.

"Did Mari make it?"

"She's fine. You saved her just in time for her, Sandy, and Queen Anne to counter-attack and pull your butt out of the fire. Your fighter is trash though."

Lufy let out a sigh. "That doesn't matter."

The door opened again and Mari rushed in. "Lufy!"

"Hey Mari."

Mari picked up Lufy's good hand.

"Are you okay?"

Lufy sat up and put the hand of her bandaged arm behind her neck, then gave an embarrassed laugh.

"Heh heh... It seems like I'll be fine. Kind of bad getting myself shot down though. Might be a good thing, my wing-pilot came back and I was shot down. Maybe everyone won't treat me like an outcast now."

"Lufy, Mari still wants to be your wing-pilot. I told her just what I said before, she has to ask you."

Lufy looked at Mari, whose eyes said; "Please?"

"Well, that's fine by me."

Mari shouted, "Thank you! thank you!" and threw herself onto Lufy's bed to hug her. Lufy yelped In pain and surprise while Riana gave an amused chuckle. Mari quickly let go of Lufy and got back down on the floor.

Lufy looked at Riana. "What happened to the Paranoid base?"

"Fleet bombardment pulverized the supply base. Artemia and her escorts moved in on the fighter base and did the same thing. We didn't get off scott free, but the mission was successful."

"That's good."

Riana turned to leave.

"I've got to go Lufy, I'll come by and talk to you again later."

Lufy and Mari saluted as Riana left the room. Lufy then lay back down in the bed, resting her head on her hands.

Mari eventually stood and bowed to Lufy.

"Thank-you for saving my life Lufy."

"Hey, don't worry about it, you turned around and saved mine so we're even."

Lufy yawned as exhustion started weighing heavily on her again.

Anyway Mari, if we're going to be partners, why don't you go ahead and move into my billet. No one's using the second bunk now anyway."

Mari nodded as Lufy's eyes started to close.

"Thank you Lufy! I..., I guess I'll talk to you later."

Lufy waved weakly as Mari left the room. Then, using a remote next to her bed, she turned down the lights, leaned back against the bed's pillow, and soon drifted off to an amazingly restful sleep.

tsuzuku...


	3. Chapter 3: Eternal Story

"The Shoot Down Queen." A Gallforce Prqeuel Story

By Makuhari-Fan01

"GALLFORCE" and all related characters are owned by Kenichi Sonoda, MOVIC, Sony VCIC, and in the US, Central Park Media, NOT me.

Based on characters and situations created by Kenichi Sonoda, especially his manga; "Kenichi Sonoda: Privates Live."

(-)

The Eighth Solenoid Expeditionary Fleet, led by the Battleship Agoncaguya, is heavily engaged with a Paranoid fleet. Assigned to protect CHAOS, a planet In the 9th Solar System, the Eighth Fleet intercepted and engaged a Paranoid fleet attempting to approach that system.

Operating on the Eighth Fleets' left flank, the battle carrier Artemia and her escorts are busy chewing apart Paranoid fighter formations and small ship attack squadrons.

After destroying or driving off a large formation of Paranoids, the Attackers are returning to the Artemia to re-arm and re-fuel. Lufy and Mari, along with Sandy and Queen Anne, are flying cover while the rest of the Attackers line up to land. A few of the Attackers have landed, and the rest are lining up when a Paranoid cruiser warps in next to the Artemia.

Lufy can hardly believe her eyes. "Freya! All Attackers break away! Break away! Enemy cruiser in this airspace!"

The Attackers scatter away from the Artemia as she and the Paranoid open fire on each other. Both ships stagger, suffering tremendous damage from the heavy blows. Artemia and the Paranoid both begin launching fighters as they fire at each other again. Artemia's heavier weapons win the duel, but she is caught in the explosion of the Paranoid cruiser and left dead in space. Four Paranoid destroyers warp in near Artemia and move in to finish her off. Artemia's escorts rush forward to protect their crippled charge, imposing themselves between her and the enemy. Swarms of Paranoid drones begin sweeping through the area, hunting down the heavily outnumbered Solenoid fighters and their remote-controlled Bronz-D companions.

Despite making the Paranoids pay a heavy price, the Attackers, low on fuel and ammunition, are run down one by one and destroyed. The heavy ships continue to tear at one another with the savage ferocity of mortal enemies. One after another, the destroyers go down until only three ships remain. Moving in to finish off Artemia, the last Paranoid destroyer opens fire just as it is rammed by a crippled Solenoid destroyer. Both ships explode. Artemia, hit by the final Paranoid barrage, finally succumbs to her damage and blows apart.

Lufy can hardly believe the carnage she has just witnessed. Remaining silent until Mari pulls her fighter in next to her, Lufy finally recovers and begins calling the Eighth Fleet's flag ship.

"Agoncaguya, Agoncaguya, this is Combat Leader Lufy. Left flank down, all ships have been destroyed, all fighter squadrons are combat ineffective. Request permission to pull back with any survivors."

"Combat Leader Lufy. You are instructed to locate any survivors and pull back to the flag ship as soon as possible. The situation is such that the fleet could be forced to warp out at ant time."

"Understood, Lufy out."

"Lufy, what's going on?"

"Well Mari, it seems the fleet bit off more than it could chew. If we don't get back quick we'll be left behind."

Lufy adjusted her com set to a wide band. "This is Combat Leader Lufy to any station, report." Static is her only reply.

"We can't be all that's left Lufy, try again."

"This is Combat Leader Lufy to any Artemia station report!"

"Shut up Lufy, I hear you."

"Tenisha? Is that you?"

"Yea, I've got Queen Anne with me. Her fighter's all shot up, and my weapons are burned out."

"Have you found anyone else?"

"No, Anne and I have been combing the area, but we haven't even seen a single survival pod. I guess all the explosions destroyed any that managed to launch."

Mari broke in. "That's crazy! Over twelve-hundred crew in four ships and we're all that's left?"

Lufy gritted her teeth as she replied. "It appears so... We'd better hurry. Agoncaguya said they might leave at any time."

The four Solenoid fighters turned and moved off towards the Solenoid fleet.

The quartet of Solenoids has covered half the distance to the fleet when Lufy's scanners picked up a formation of six Paranoid drones closing from behind.

"Tenisha, you and Queen Anne go on ahead. Mari and I will take care of the Paranoids."

"Roger Lufy, good Luck."

Lufy and Mari wheel around and close with the Paranoids. Locking her last two missiles on to a pair of Paranoid drones, Mari fires first. The Paranoids evade and only one is destroyed. Closing on the remaining five, Lufy and Mari enter a swirling dogfight with four. The fifth evades and goes after the two retreating Solenoids.

Lufy shoots down one of her opponents and shouts a warning. "Tenisha! Watch out, there's a leaker headed your way!"

"Roger."

Lufy polishes off her last opponent, then helps Mari finish hers off. Turning toward the Agoncaguya once again, Lufy and Mari rush after the last Paranoid drone.

Without any missiles left for a long range attack, the two Solenoids can only watch helplessly as the Paranoid closes in on their friends. Tenisha does everything she can to distract the Paranoid, but it closes remorselessly on Queen Anne's crippled fighter and blows it apart. Turning on Tenisha's fighter, the Paranoid moves in to attack.

Unable to defend herself, Tenisha is forced to evade.

Sensing another helpless target, the Paranoid rapidly closes in and explodes Tenisha's fighter.

Mari screams in rage and bores in on the now retreating Paranoid. Lufy pulls in behind Mari to support her. Burning her small reserve of fuel at a prodigious rate, Mari closes on the Paranoid and chops it to bits with the last of her laser charge. Spent mentally and exhausted physically, she lets off the thrust handle and allows her fighter to simply coast.

Lufy pulls up next to Mari. "Ready to go Mari?"

" Yea..."

Turning back towards the fleet, the two Solenoids find their way blocked by two more Paranoid drones.

"Get behind me Mari, I'11 handle these two!"

Lufy moves out in front of Mari. Dodging through a hail of fire, ignoring the hits scored on her fighter, Lufy expends the last of her laser charge and scores a double kill.

"Mari, let's get out of here before any more Paranoids show up."

Receiving no reply, Lufy turns her fighter around and finds Mari's fighter holed by laser fire and venting air.

"MARI! "

"Lu...Lufy, keep away. They hit my fighter's engine, it might blow any time and I don't want you killed."

"What about you? I won't lose another wing-pilot!"

"I'm all shot up, it's too late for me.,."

"No! Hang on, I'11 get you back to Agoncaguya..."

"Lufy, don't blame yourself for this. Stay alive... stay alive so someone remembers the Attackers. Stay alive so you can remember me...goodbye Lufy."

Mari's fighter explodes. Leaving Lufy with nothing but her memories and her tears.

Turning away from the scene of her closest companions death, Lufy starts looking for a Solenoid ship to land her damaged fighter on.

After reaching the edge of the main Solonoid fleet, a panel in her cockpit shorts out and Lufy's controls go dead.

((Damn! Main controls out, better switch to secondaries.))

Lufy activates the fighter's escape systems. All the damaged sections of her fighter fall away, leaving Lufy in a mini escape plane. Continuing towards the Agoncaguya, she eventually locates a Starleaf class cruiser. Using up the last of the fuel in the little plane's short lived engines, Lufy lines up to land in the cruiser's recovery bay.

Unexpectedly, the plane's radio comes to life, and a high pitched voice comes through the static. "Starleaf to approaching plane. Don't land here. Our recovery bay is full."

Incredulous, Lufy shouts back. "Shut up! It's too far to go anywhere else!"

"No don't! There isn't any room!"

"Watch out! I'm coming in!"

"Aaiieeeee!"

Lufy dodges through several stray laser shots and bores in on the Starleaf's landing bay. After the little plane enters the Starleaf's landing bay, it bounces off the deck, caroms off of several parked fighters, and slides to a stop against the landing bay's forward bulkhead. Releasing her harness, Lufy disconnects her combat suit and raises the fighter's canopy. Looking back at the damage she'd caused, Lufy decided her landing had been a little too fast. Halon fire extinguishers, responding to the damage in the landing bay, begin spraying out thick clouds of fire suppressing gas.

Choking on the gas, Lufy staggers out of the bay. Stumbling down a hall outside the bay, Lufy stops when a monitor comes to life next to her.

"We told you not to land here. To what group do you belong?"

Lufy balled her up fists and shouted back at the red haired combat leader on the monitor.

"What does it matter to you? My ship was destroyed and the only place close enough to land was this slow moving cruiser!"

The red haired woman on the monitor turned away as someone off to her side spoke. "She's an elite. Looks like an Attacker." The red head turned back to Lufy, a look of surprise on her face.

"Hey! So what if I'm an Attacker? Have you got something against that?"

Before the red head could reply, her image on the monitor was replaced with hat of the Eighth Fleet's Commander on the Agoncaguya.

"Sister Solenoids. Up until now we have enjoyed success in all our battles with the Paranoids. Now, in order to continue our mission to protect Planet Chaos in the Ninth Solar System, we must withdrawal from this battle to permit our forces to regroup. This flag ship will launch a full scale attack to cover the withdrawal. All ships set a course for Planet Chaos, and prepare for light speed."

Knowing she had better be strapped in for the transition to light speed, Lufy turns and heads for the cruiser's bridge. On the way there, the high pitched voice Lufy had heard earlier came over the ship's intercom. "Attention all crew! Report to the first or second deck to prepare for transition to light speed. Light speed transition in ninety seconds."

Lufy starts running. Just as she reaches the bridge access hatch, Lufy hears someone say, "Just the six of us left on the whole ship?"

Lufy leaned against the hatchway jamb and crossed her arms. "I'm here, that's one more."

The six people and two robots present turned to watch as Lufy strode out onto the bridge.

"What's with this disorganized ship? You let the robots have a place to sit and not me?"

An orange haired woman sitting next to the red head Lufy had seen earlier pointed over at the com station. "You can sit over there."

Lufy recognized this voice. The orange haired woman cringed as Lufy walked up and leaned over her.

"Hey, didn't you say something rude about me a while ago? Have you got something against the Attackers?"

"Hurry up and sit down! We're going into light speed in thirty seconds!"

Lufy looked up at the irate red head and decided to press the point later. After giving the orange haired woman a predatory smile, she turned and walked over to the com station, threw herself into the seat and strapped in.

Eluza, the red haired combat leader in command of the Starleaf, issued the final orders. Space around the Starleaf twisted from the massive application of energy, and the ship vanished into light speed.

FIN.

(-)

**NEVER THE END. GALL FORCE: THE ETERNAL STORY**


End file.
